Five goats -- and the friendly family to whom they belong -- are helping Stephen Elliott make it through the night.

Formerly homeless, and formerly a heroin addict (one month clean, he points out), Elliott lives in a barn behind the Reisterstown home of Deanne Callegary and L.R. Wagner, who met him while volunteering at the shelter where he once stayed and later invited him to tend their goats.

When he can't sleep, reporter Julie Scharper points out in a story in today's Sun, Elliott, 47, leaves his mattress, walks to where the five goats live and spends some quiet moments scratching them behind their ears.

After years of drug abuse and months of homelessness, Elliott "has found solace, perhaps salvation, among a family of goats," Scharper reports. It has been his longest period of stability in years, and he's more hopeful than he has been in a long time.

To see the full story, and photos by Jed Kirschbaum, who also shot the video above, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Tracy Santos, the cancer patient who led her troops through the Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals earlier this spring, will have all hands on deck on Sunday, Aug. 16 when the "Baltimore Bark Brigade" holds a dog-wash-a-thon at Eastern Animal Hospital.

Dog baths will be free with a donation to the Maryland SPCA. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Animal Hospital is at 6404 Eastern Ave. Treats for dogs, and humans, will also be available.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Former "The Price is Right" host Bob Barker lobbied Chicago's alderman yesterday to pass an ordinance requiring dogs and cats to be sterilized, but indications are the getting the proposal passed in the windy city isn't going to be a breeze.

During three hours of debate, aldermen expressed doubts about the proposal and questioned whether an ordinance requiring spaying or neutered of pets by age 6 months was even enforceable.

"There are so many cats and dogs being born in our country that it is impossible to find homes for all of them," said Barker, a longtime animal-welfare advocate. "We need legislation. It's the obvious answer. It's the only answer."

The ordinance would "prevent tremendous animal suffering, but beyond that it will save the taxpayers of Chicago thousands, millions of dollars" by reducing the need to shelter and euthanize animals, he said.

The aldermen who sponsored the ordinance cited dog attacks on Chicago residents as one of the reasons behind it, and said sterilized animals are less likely to be vicious.

A violation would result in a ticket ordering the owner to have the pet fixed. If that failed, a $100 fine would be issued after 60 days. If another 60 days passed, a second fine could reach $500, and the city could impound and sterilize the animal. Owners couldn't reclaim then until paying the fines and other costs.

The proposal is backed by PAWS Chicago, a no-kill humane organization focused on reducing the number of stray animals, and the Humane Society of the United States.

It's opposed by the Chicago and Illinois State Veterinary Medical Associations, which say decisions on pet sterilization are best made by a veterinarian and pet owner.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Save this date: On Aug. 23 National Dog Day 2008 will be celebrated on Solomon's Island.

The Calvert Marine Museum was chosen by the Animal Miracle Foundation, creator of National Dog Day, to host the free event, which will include a host of acitivies for dog lovers.

National Dog Day is about finding new families for unwanted dogs in the United States. The lifesaving goal for this year's celebration is for 20,000 dogs to find new homes through the main event in Maryland and adoption events nationwide. Last year, it helped nearly 15,000 dogs from coast to coast find homes in one day.

The event starts at 10 a.m. and runs all day. It features dog shows, vendors, entertainment, contests, demonstrations, children's activities, celebrities and most importantly, dog adoptions offered by numerous nonprofit rescue organizations.

The event will also honor Maya, the Pit Bull, National Dog Day 2008's "Hero Dog of the Year" and Luka, the National Dog Day 2008 "Great American Shelter Dog." There will also be a concert from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Calvert Concert Pavilion, featuring popular, animal loving performers such as Stop Motion Poetry, Orion Walsh and Lauren D'Aria.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Wonderful as those "Greatest American Dogs" are, should we really have to put up with all those greatly annoying humans on the show?

That's the question Anita Gates asks in a review of the new reality show.

"As the fourth episode is broadcast on Wednesday (the show has been moved from Thursday nights to Wednesdays), I am resigned to the producers’ intent to make the series “Most Annoying American Dog Owner” instead," she writes. "Clearly somebody was inspired more by Christopher Guest’s comic film “Best in Show,” a study in human inanity, than by a love of animals."

While calling reality shows "one of the most hideous, soul-destroying genres ever hatched," Gates goes on to point out that GAD has had some good moments, "like the first time Elvis, the scrappy Parson Russell terrier from New York, and Andrew, the silky-haired, 10-pound Maltese from Virginia, play together on the lawn, running their little legs off."

She calls Brandy, a California fashion designer, the Omarosa (villainous contestant on “The Apprentice”) of the group. “I won’t tolerate anybody touching my dog,” she announced in the first episode.

All in all though, Gates wants more footage of dogs, less of dog owners, and she particularly likes the relay races, Frisbee catching, hoop-jumping, chutes and mazes.

"Note to producers: More of this, please.," she writes. "If you’re hoping to win doting dog lovers as viewers, take the cameras off the owners and point them toward the pets."

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

The Humane Society of Baltimore County has taken its annual fund-raiser, Bark in the Park, turned it into something far huger, and given it all a new name -- DogFest 2008, which will take place Oct 4, 2008 at Shawan Downs.

This year, there's a admission fee to the day-long event ($20), but there will also be a lot more activities  to take part in -- from the traditional dog agility course and contests to a classic car show, a 5K-9 run, and the Paws on Parade Walk.

It's all laid out on the DogFest Web site.

To take part in the Paws on Parade Walk of the 5K run, you should register before Sept. 19. There's a $25 fee for run, and for the walk, but a $30 donation includes a DogFest 2008 T-shirt, dog goody bag, and admission to all activities and events.

Dogs are permitted in both the walk and the run, but there's a limit of one dog per person in the run, and they must be on (non-retractable) leashes at all times.

Partipants are encouraged to collect pledges to the Humane Society for their running and walking.

Activities planned in connection with the Bark in the Park event, which runs from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., include a dog agility course, a dog swim area, dog games, dog contests and educational sessions on Pet CPR, Lyme disease, pet friendly gardening and Kong stuffing and recipes.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

A six-legged deer found in Georgia after being attacked by two dogs has a new home.

An Athens woman with a permit to keep unique animals in captivity has agreed to take the deer, the Associated Press reported.

The deer is now recovering at West Rome Animal Clinic in Rome, Ga., after undergoing surgery for its minor injuries. It was found July 18 in Everett Springs, Ga.

Berry College animal science professor George Gallagher said the animal's condition prevents it from surviving in the wild.

The fawn has two complete pelvises and two tails. One of the tails had to be amputated.

Gallagher said the fawn has a condition that is similar to Siamese twins in humans.

Photo by Associated Press

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Construction has begun at the Camp Bow Wow in Columbia, Md., and owners report that their contractors are working like dogs to get the facility running as quickly as possible.

The 7,000-square foot boarding facility will feature a 1,500-square-foot outdoor play area, puppy pools, campfire treats and soothig music at bed time. Pups will be cared for by "camp counselors" and if you feel the need to check up on them, nine camper cams will allow you to watch your pup at play.

Camp Bow Wow will offer both day care and overnight stays. Its prices are all inclusive, so you don't need to worry about surcharges for special diets or administration of medication.

For more information about the national chain, visit their Web site.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

What do you do when there's a cat in your bed?

You could just curl up next to it.

You could ask it nicely to leave, though said request most likely will be ignored.

Or you could take the approach this dog -- after his barks are ignored -- chooses.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Swansea Jack was a flat-coated retriever in Wales who rescued 27 people, or so legend has it, from the River Tawe.

When he heard cries for help, he would dive into the water and pull the victim to safety. That's him to the left, pictured with his owner, William Thomas.

When he died in October 1937 after eating rat poison, townsfolk built a monument to him, located on the Promenade in Swansea near St. Helen's Rugby Ground.

Now, more than 70 years after Jack's death, an artist in Wales, Richard Higlett, plans to put together a choir of dogs from the city to perform a new song in celebration of the hero.

"A Song For Jack" will be performed at a special concert in the city. The work has been commissioned by Locws International, a visual arts charity that works with artists to create temporary arts projects for public spaces.

"Dogs sing together instinctively as part of a pack, their sense of community," said Higlett. "In Swansea there are so many breeds with different characters and voices and all have a relationship, like us, with the place in which they live. I felt it a fitting homage to Swansea Jack whose instinct was to be a hero."

Auditions for the choir are underway.

Swansea Jack in 1936 received the "Bravest Dog of the Year" award from the London Star newspaper. He received a silver cup from the Lord Mayor of London and he is still the only dog to have been awarded two bronze medals by the National Canine Defence League (now known as Dogs Trust). In 2000,he was named 'Dog of the Century' by NewFound Friends of Bristol who train domestic dogs in aquatic rescue techniques.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Anybody who knows Mutts knows we like our dogs big.

We love the little ones, too, of course. But there's nothing like a big furry mass of hunkitude to make you pause and say, "Now that's a dawg."

Having a big, tough 120-pounder of my own -- even though he is still afraid of the dresser in my bedroom -- I can relate to the folks and their big dogs in this and other pictures in a big dog photo gallery a co-worker alerted me to.

To see them all, click here.

As big dog people, we often feel dwarfed and overshadowed by our dogs. At night, for those of us whose big dogs like to share our beds, it can get a little overcrowded as well.

And every day we have to put up with yet another person commenting to us, "That dog is really big," as if we didn't already know.

That is often followed up by, "How much does he eat?"

But the silly comments and questions are kind of fun, and the curious passer-by is far better to deal with than the fearful one, like those who buy into the stereotype that a big dog is a mean dog, when nothing could be further from the truth.

There are times when I'm walking Ace -- and I'm sure the woman in the photo experiences this as well -- when the person coming toward us on the sidewalk makes a point to cross over to the other side of the street.

Yes, the burden of the big dog owner is a heavy one -- from spending more on dog food to having a bigger load to pick up when we scoop. But it's worth it when you consider the payoff: There's so much more to love.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

In Ohio, where lawmakers are considering a statewide ban on pit bull-type dogs, two pit bull owners have been criminally charged for failing to purchase liability insurance for their animals, which existing state law requires.

The state requires that a pit bull must be insured by its owner for $100,000 or more.

According to a blurb in the Canton Repository, Massillon Municipal Court records indicate the Stark County's dog warden is seeking misdemeanor charges against two Perry Township residents in two separate cases.

According to the records, the owners did not get insurance within the 30-day grace period allowed by law.

So here's my first question: If the state bans pit bulls, will all those who have insured their dogs get their money back? And here's my second: How many lawmakers in the state are in the insurance industry?

Posted by John Woestendiek at 3:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Oh, sure, they look like a big happy family now, but how they got there is a duck tale worth retelling.

It's all recounted here by the sister of the man behind the duck rescue -- a loan officer named  Joel Armstrong who works at the Sterling Bank in downtown Spokane.

Looking down from his second story window one day in May, he watched as a duck picked the cement planter outside his window -- 10 feet above ground -- to build her nest. She laid her eggs, then stayed by their side until, weeks later, the ducklings hatched.

The very next day, Armstrong said, their mother -- as he's since learned mama ducks will do -- was urging them to leave the nest. He looked out his window and saw the mother duck on the sidewalk, quacking up to her babies to take the leap from the nest.

The first one jumped, crashing to the cement below, then laid there dazed.

Not wanting to see that nine more times, Joel dashed out of his office and ran down the stairs to the sidewalk. As the second one took the plunge, Joel jumped forward and caught it with his hands before it hit the cement and set it on the ground next to the mother.

One by one, the babies continued to jump and, as a crowd formed to watch, Joel hid under the awning, reaching out in time to catch them all.  

Once all the ducklings had safely landed, they still had two blocks of traffic to get across to get to the Spokane River. Other workers joining the effort, bringing down an empty copy paper box, They gathered the babies, popped them in the box and began the trek. (One employee captured most of the rescue on camera; click the link above to see more.)

On the way to the river, Joel held the box low enough for the mom to see her brood, and she waddled behind him, crossing streets and hopping up curbs. Once at the river, she jumped in the water and quacked loudly. The workers helped the babies out of the box, and they hopped in the river and paddled to their mother's side.

We at Mutts salute Joel (a 42-year-old cat owner) for graciously (and without requiring collateral) lending a hand -- two, actually -- to urban wildflife, and we thank his sister as well, for telling the story. 

Joel told us he has been back to the river a couple times since, and spotted two mama ducks with families, but he's not certain they were the same ones he rescued. "We're just assuming they're all healthy, he said. "It was fun helping them out."

(Photo by Morgan McGee)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Jennifer Aniston’s dog, Norman, is having some trouble adjusting to her new boyfriend, John Mayer, the Daily Record of Britain has reported.

Aniston, who just finished filming the movie version of the popular dog book "Marley & Me," reportedly keeps the two apart when Mayer visits the actress’s Los Angeles home.

“It’s funny because John likes dogs but for some reason Norman has taken a disliking to him,” a source close to Aniston told the newspaper. “Jennifer dotes on Norman and treats him like a child. But she has got to the point where she’s had to keep him out if the way if John is around the house ... Norman is just picky about people.”

Aniston and Norman, shown above in a 2005 Elle magazine spread, have been constant companions for years and apparently Norman has yet to bond fully with her the new boyfriend.

Aniston and Mayer have been seen taking Norman, a Corgi-Terrier mix, for walks, apparently so the dog can get used to the singer on neutral ground.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

Aftter six years of planning, and another nine months of construction, a swanky new dog park opens in New York today.

The new Tompkins Square Dog Run features a state-of-the-art surface that uses several layers of rock, landscaping fabric and a new top surface that allows dog urine and rainwater to drain directly through the run, meaning it won’t emit unpleasant odors.

“It’s going to be the standard for all New York City dog parks,” said Garrett Rosso, a dog advocate.

New York's Washington Square will be the next park to receive the treatment, but the dog-run construction revolution will likely extend beyond New York as well, the Villager reports.

“People are calling me from all over the country,” Ross said.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

It's Jean Bosley, whose correct answers to our reader quiz were the first to hit our comments section.

For her speedy and 100 percent accurate efforts, Jean has been sent a brand new FURminator at absolutely no charge.

Shipping and handling on the order is $583, which I'm not sure I mentioned to her.

Just kidding.

Jean, when informed of her victory, showed the requisite excitement, or at least so it seemed from the number of exclamation points in her email: "I am so excited!!! My two dogs were adopted from MD SPCA (Lady) and the Harford County Humane Society (Joey) so they are VERY worthy.

"I'll send you pictures of us (attempting to) use it!"

Thanks to Jean, and her very worthy dogs Joey and Lady, and everyone who entered, and their very worthy dogs.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Drinking and dogs do mix (in moderation of course), and here's you chance to enjoy both: the Maryland SPCA, will be holding its second Wine & Wag Happy Hour On Friday, July 25.

Dogs are welcome and admitted free, but the SPCA requests you keep them on their leashes, and bring only one dog per person.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate of the SPCA, at 3300 Falls Road. The event runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Children are welcome, but must have tickets.

Complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be served, and there is a suggested donation of $3 for beer and wine and $1 for other beverages.

Activities include a treasure hunt, obedience demos, paw painting, off-leash play in the fun runs and tours of the adoption center. Guests are also welcome to cast their ballots for the best decorated kennel -- this month, the staff has gone Hollywood, outfitting all the kennels with movie themes.

The event will be canceled if weather is bad, and ticket prices will be refunded.

The Maryland SPCA, which is feeling the same crush as other parts of the country as a flagging economy sends more people and pets into homelessness, is offering a special on adult dogs until the end of the July -- all dogs adopted will receive free microchipping.

For more information, please contact Tami Gosheff at tgosheff@mdspca.org or 410-235-8826, ext. 138.

To reserve your spot, you can click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

NASCAR driver Tony Stewart is donating protective vests for police dogs in Indiana and four other states.

The Columbus, Ind. driver is giving 30 vests to the Indiana State Police K-9 unit and 10 more vests for dogs in Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina and Minnesota.

The donation follows a request to the Tony Stewart Foundation from a New Mexico woman who founded a non-profit organization that solicits money to buy the bullet-proof and stab-proof vests for police dogs.

So far, the organization has provided 169 vests in 22 states. The foundation says the vests cost $895 each, meaning the 40 new vests would total more than $35,000.

Stewart will present the vests to state police at O'Reilly Raceway Park west of Indianapolis in Clermont on Thursday.

(Photo by Associated Press)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Dozens of dog walkers couldn't cross that bridge when they came to it yesterday.

The footbridge at Robert E. Lee Park has been closed, shutting off access to Baltimore's most popular dog-walking area. As Brent Jones reports in today's Sun, an independent contractor recently found problems during a structural assessment of the bridge, leading city officials to shut it down.

(The 450-acre park is actually in Baltimore County, but is owned by the city.)

Hundreds of people -- most pulled by their dogs -- cross the bridge each weekend to give their dogs an unauthorized off-leash run in the wooded park.

The city opted to close the bridge after a county-hired company reported the structural deficiencies.

"Now where the discussions will move to is how we get that bridge rebuilt as quickly as possible," County spokesman Donald I. Mohler said. "I think everybody realizes that we need to get that bridge working."

There is no estimate on how much it will cost to fix the bridge -- worn concreted on the underside of deck slabs is mentioned as one of the problems -- and it is not clear which government will pay for it, city or county, according to Mohler.

Kia McCleod, a spokeswoman for the city Department of Recreation and Parks, said there is no timetable for when the bridge will reopen. She also said that all other areas of the park will remain accessible.

The park can still be entered from Falls Road, though that's miles from the main dog-walking area.

If all this makes you want to scream, we have just the place for you.

By clicking on the Dogs of Our Lives feature (in the shaded rail to the your right), you can find our forum for Robert E. Lee and all other dog-frequented parks. For a direct link the the Robert E. Lee forum, click here.

(Sun Photo by Lloyd Fox)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

WATERTOWN, Mass. — Two Waltham residents will be charged with animal cruelty after their dog died of massive heat trauma from being left inside a car outside the Watertown Mall. They told police they had left the 3-year-old French bulldog in the car for half an hour.

MULBERRY, Fla. -- The Mulberry Police Department will revamp its police-dog policies after one of its animals died Monday in an overheated vehicle, the police chief said. Sam Diesel, a 2 1/2-year-old male German shepherd, was found dead by his handler about 3:50 p.m. Monday. Unknown to the officer, the air conditioning had failed while she left the dog in the car for more than three hours with the engine running.

SAN DIEGO – A San Diego police dog found dead in his handler's patrol car last month died of heat stroke, officials with the county Department of Animal Services said Tuesday. A month-long investigation found that the 5-year-old Belgian Malinois named Forrest had been left in the vehicle with the windows closed on a day where temperatures reached 108 degrees.

I guess it can't be said often enough: No matter how briefly you intend it to be for, no matter what precautions you take, don't leave your dog alone in a parked car this summer.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

(Warning: The following entry deals with some despicable behavior and should not be read by children. In an ideal world, it shouldn't have to be read by adults, either. We print it because, in our unideal world, this is one demented form that animal abuse takes, and one that can't be fought if we pretend it doesn't happen.)

Best Friends Animal Society, the nation's largest animal sanctuary, has agreed to accept two dogs that authorities say were trained to have sex with women, and were videotaped doing so.

A mixed breed and a Labrador, formerly owned by Diane Sue Whalen of Tulsa County, Oklahoma, have been accepted by the Best Friends in Kanab, Utah, and will be taken to the no-kill sanctuary next month, Fox News reported.

Whalen, 54, and Donald Roy Seigfried, 55, were charged with felony crimes against nature after Whalen's adult son found more than 150 tapes of his mother performing sex acts with them. Seigfried was accused of filming the acts.

The dogs were placed in the Tulsa Animal Shelter following the arrests. Whalen relinquished custody of her dogs, but Seigfried is fighting to maintain custody of a third dog used in the videos, a blue heeler named Merlin.

Whalen's dogs — named Lucky and Buddy — were examined and neutered at a Tulsa veterinary clinic after the arrests. In Utah, the dogs will become candidates for adoption.

"Each dog is treated as an individual," said Barbara Williamson, spokesperson for Best Friends, where animals that are not adopted live permanently at the sanctuary. "We felt we could help these dogs."

A deputy who investigated the case had recommended that the dogs be euthanized and wrote in court affidavits that they had been trained to rape.

Best Friends, thankfully, disagreed. "These dogs are totally victims," Williamson said.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)
        

A Utah man who returned early from vacation fired three shots Sunday night at what he thought was an intruder in his home, but turned out to be his dogsitter.

The Salt Lake City Tribune reported yesterday that all three shots missed the 17-year-old petsitter.

Police said the boy, who was a neighbor, had been watching the man's home in West Jordan and taking care of his dogs while he was away on vacation. The man returned from vacation early, and when the boy entered his home Sunday, he mistook him for a robber.

A spokesman said it had not been determined if charges would be filed.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The British Army's Special Air Service (SAS) is training German Shepherds to parachute into enemy territory and, with cameras mounted to their heads, sniff out insurgents and warn of ambushes.

The dogs jump from planes at high altitude wearing oxygen masks and strapped to soldiers. On the ground, their cameras transmit images back to special forces teams, the Sun of London said in a report yesterday. The article includes a photo of one of the skydiving dogs.

The dogs, earmarked for use in Iraq and Afghanistan, are intended to reduce the number of civilian casualties.

"The dogs will be exposed to very high levels of danger on these operations and you never know what's going to be behind a door," an SAS source is quoted as saying. "Nobody wants to see the dogs get killed but if it's their life or a man's it is obvious which the CO would prefer."

Two dogs have reportedly been assigned to each of the regiment's four squadrons and their handlers are learning the techniques for parachuting with dogs at high altitudes from American special forces instructors.

Using dogs for war goes all the way back to ancient Egypt. And putting them in parachutes isn't new, either. In World War II the British Army used parachute dogs to take messages behind enemy lines in North Africa and France.

(Photo by Associated Press)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Fecally-based as it may be, the question raised this morning by Pete Hurrey, a reporter and blogger for Baynet.com, is an interesting one.

Why don't you ever see white dog poop anymore?

It's a question comedian Sarah Silverman has asked in song and countless others have wondered about. It has has been the subject of at least one play, the topic of at least one blog, and typing the phrase into Google brings up 6,740 results -- some of which will bring you closer to the truth, some of which will send you further away.

Is it a result of global warming; some other atmospheric shift in the environment; a sign, like disappearing bees, that something is dreadfully wrong?

In a blog entry this morning, Hurrey says the mysterious question was brought to his attention by a photographer during the kind of lull in a newsroom that leads to pondering life's bigger questions.

Hurrey went to that secret place with all the answers to life's bigger questions (Google) and found out that the disappearance is likely based on one of two factors -- or maybe both.

"I do have my theories – like, now that people have to follow around their dogs with little pooper scoopers and baggies, there isn’t any dog poop left to turn white," Hurrey wrote on his blog for Baynet, an internet news company serving Calvert, St. Mary's and Charles counties.

He also cites the most accepted answer: Dog poop turned white because dogs, back in the 1970s and before, ate real bones. The calcium from them would make their waste turn white when it dried.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

On top of all the other advice on how to help your pet cope with the heat, the folks at FURminator offer this:

Regularly "deshedding" your dog, in addition to keeping your house a lot cleaner, can make him or her (or your cat or horse for that matter) a little more comfortable during the dog days of summer.

Among the 67 percent of U.S. households that own a pet, shedding is the top complaint -- and some of the most popular breeds, FURminator says, are also the most prolific shedders (German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Beagle, Shih Tzu, Labrador Retriever).

The company says its product -- available at Petco, Petsmart and most pet retailers, as well as through the company's web site, furminator.com -- reduces shedding up to 90 percent, and also lessens the amount of airborne allergens.

I've had one for about six months now and both Ace and I love it -- I for the shed hair that ends up somewhere other than my house; Ace for the good scratching it gives him. He looks forward to his weekly FURminations. They are a pricey tool, but they're guaranteed for life.

If there were a Good Muttskeeping Seal of Approval, the FURminator -- founded in 2002 by the husband and wife team of David and Angela Porter -- would get one. More recently the company has begun offering a line of pet products that ranges from treats to shampoos.

The company put together a list of summertime tips for dog owners, the first of which, as you might guess, is to buy a FURminator.

Removing a dog's undercoat cools him off and is a healthier alternative than shaving, which it says can expose them to harmful ultraviolet rays. It also recommends never leaving your dog in a parked car, making frequent stops when traveling, keeping them on a steady diet and well-hydrated, avoiding exercising during the hottest times of day and keeping an eye out for fleas and ticks.

In addition to sending me copious amounts of information, FURminator also sent me a FURminator, and because I already had one, I'm putting the brand new one (large, a $70 value) up for grabs.

It will go to the first person who correctly posts (in the form of a comment on this entry) the answers to these seven questions. All the answers can found in the Mutts blog -- in the entries, the archives, or through the other features on this page. (Tip: make use of our search function.)

1. What is the name of the shelter my dog Ace came from?

2. What, according to a recent study, are the three most agressive dog breeds?

3. What is the name of the therapy dog organization Ace works for?

4. At what local (Baltimore) park did we come across a mastiff named Scully?

5. Ace, on his roadtrip returning from Montana, visited the boyhood home of what U.S. president?

6. What was the name of the Great Dane featured in our most recent video installment of Adoption Alley?

7. In the dogumentary about Ace's heritage, "Hey, Mister, What Kind of Dog is That?" what band's song is used in the closing montage?

(Photo courtesy of FURminator.com) 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

An inanimate object attacked my dog as he slept Saturday night.

I'm not sure how, or why, but sometime around midnight Ace, who is about 120 pounds, got tangled up with a chest of drawers weighing at least that much.

I was dozing off to a Saturday Night Live repeat downstairs, when I heard the commotion -- a bang, then the sound of furniture being dragged, then some smaller slamming sounds.

By the time I got upstairs, Ace was quivering in fear, and the dresser, as well as the mirror that rests on top of it, had been moved a good three feet from the wall. A couple of years worth of change, which had been in a tray on the dresser, was scattered across the floor. Ace was limping as he went downstairs and got into the doorless dog crate that serves as his security blanket.

Upon investigation (of Ace and the dresser), I made the following discoveries. One of the knobs on a lower drawer was bent upward. Ace's bandana, though still around his neck was stretched out. Apparently, Ace, in his sleep, had managed to get the bandana wrapped around the knob, and when he awoke, for whatever reason, he found he couldn't move and panicked. In other words, the dresser started it.

Ace pulled and tugged hard enough to move the dresser and almost topple it. The crashing of the change to the floor must have scared him even more. Either out of fear, or from exerting himself, he projectile pooped, spraying the bedside table, bedspread and sheets as he sought to free himself from the dresser's clutches.

Still coming out of my own grogginess, I grabbed a role of paper towels and a can of what I thought was Pledge to clean up the mess. As I headed upstairs, it was brought to my attention that the yellow can in my hand was actually Raid. I got a more proper cleanser, wiped up the mess, moved the dresser back and then checked Ace again, who was still panting and exuding that sweaty fear odor he emits when scared.

He spent the whole night downstairs, and still hasn't returned to the bedroom, or even the second floor of the house.

The morals of the story: Take your dog's bandana, or collar, if it's loose-fitting, off at night. Replace your dog-level drawer pulls,if they're the kind they can get snagged on. And one more, which can also save you from such embarassing errors as putting Preparation H on your toothbrush or hairspray on your armpits: Make a pledge to always check what you're spraying or squirting before you spray or squirt.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Ever get the feeling your parents/teachers/bosses are constantly hovering over you -- and in a very judgmental kind of way?

Then imagine how this six-day-old flamingo chick must feel.

We don't know if the looming adult flamingos are his actual parents, or just fellow residents of the flamingo community at the zoo in Hanover, in central Germany.

Perhaps they are members of the flamingo neighborhood watch, or on the screening committee determining if the little chick will be allowed in the Flamingo Club.

I don't know if it's the look in the adults' eyes, the downward frown-like turn in their beaks, or  the perpetual question marks their necks form, but I'm not getting a proud parent vibe.

It's more like, did you eat all your peas? Did you turn off that video game? Your teacher called today. Didn't we tell you to clean that nest? Where do you think you're going?

Then again, I'm once again making the mistake -- fun as it might be -- of applying human values and attributes to animals, which is what we often tend to do, especially when they're those in zoos.

So we'll just tell you that the birth of this little fella brought the zoo's flamingo population to a nice even 100.

(Photo by Getty images)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

As part of its continuing series "CNN Heroes," the cable network this week aired a report on Karen Shirk, whose non-profit group, 4 Paws for Ability, helps partner service dogs with people with disabilities.

Interestingly, it was Shirk's own challenge in getting a service dog that led her to start 4 Paws. While working as a social worker in mental retardation and autism in the 1980s, Shirk went into respiratory arrest, leading to a diagnosis of a rare neuromuscular disease, according to the CNN report.

In a wheelchair and on a respirator, she sought a service dog so she could be more independent, but agencies turned her down, saying she was too disabled for a dog to make a difference in her life.

So Shirk got a dog on her own, a black German shepherd puppy named Ben who, with the help of a trainer, became her service dog. "He gave me a reason to get up in the morning," Shirk says. "I went from existing to living."

Knowing there must be others like her, Shirk started 4 Paws in her Xenia, Ohio apartment to help people who've been told they're ineligible to get a service dog. The dogs help kids with everything from mobility problems to seizures to autism. She developed a program to train autism assistance dogs, and of the 319 dogs she's placed since 1998, nearly 70 percent have been partnered with autistic children.

Three short CNN videos about the program, its clients, and what Shirk calls "the magic" of dogs can be found here.

"I'm sure there's some scientific explanation, but for me it will just always be magic," Shirk says of the impact service and therapy dogs can have on people. "I think the biggest thing is an accepting friend who's always there and ready to help."

(Photo: Ben, courtesy of 4PawsforAbility.org)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The former mayor of Alice, Texas, who lost her job after trying to trick a neighbor out of her dog, has settled her criminal case.

Grace Saenz-Lopez, who was asked by neighbors to care for their dog Puddles while they were away, told them upon their return that the Shih Tzu had died, and that she buried it in her back yard.

In reality, Saenz-Lopez and her sister had hidden the dog, which they later said had been neglected by its owners, with intentions of keeping it.

When relatives of the neighbor saw the dog, renamed Panchito, at a grooming business, the jig was up. But Saenz-Lopez, after losing her job, still kept the dog, forcing the original owners to regain custody through a civil suit.

Saenz-Lopez, along with other parties in the long-running legal case, appeared in a fairly awkward segment (above) on NBC's Today Show a while back -- before the dog was returned to the original owners.

Under the terms of a plea agreement approved Tuesday, Saenz-Lopez pleaded no contest to filing a false police report. She was fined $300 and ordered to serve 48 hours of community service and two years of probation, according to an Associated Press story.

Saenz-Lopez had faced two felony counts of tampering with evidence and concealing evidence for hiding the dog with her sister and reporting it as missing.

She insisted that she kept the dog because Puddles/Panchito's previous owner had neglected it. In April, though, a judge ordered the dog returned to the original owner.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

In Ames, Iowa, customers are rolling into Lynn's Laser Car Wash not just to get the car cleaned, but the dog and cat as well.

Don't be alarmed, they don't send pets through a powerful squirting and scrubbing tunnel -- and I'm pretty sure actual lasers aren't involved -- but the business, after 35 years of cleaning cars, has added a dog and cat washing station, just feet from the car wash bays.

For $8, you get 10 minutes at the station, complete with the same selections you get at the car wash, from pre-soak to shampoo to gentle rinse to dry. Owner Ryan Davis said the water's just right at 80 to 85 degrees.

"It's a self-serve pet wash," said Davis. "You just bring in your pets and wash them down."

Maybe that's not the most revealing quote ever given the news media, but keep in mind this is a television station (KCCI in Des Moines) report.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

To better serve the animals and people of the Baltimore community, the five major animal welfare organizations in Baltimore have come together to form the Baltimore Animal Welfare Alliance (BAWA).

Though such coalitions are a national trend, this will be the first of its kind in Maryland. The organizations will share resources, conduct joint events and work together to find homes for pets.

The five organizations are: The Maryland SPCA, Humane Society of Baltimore County, Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, and both the city and county Animal Control offices.

Their joint efforts will include holding adoption events, such as one scheduled this coming Saturday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the PetSmart in Towson. Its members will also work together to promote spaying and neutering, and in transporting animals in need from one shelter to another so that fewer pets are euthanized.

The alliance described as its goals:

-- Focusing on ending pet over-population.

-- Ending euthanasia of healthy animals.

-- Promoting adoption, spaying and neutering, education and humane care.

-- Adopting a standardized method of reporting animal care data and following the guidelines of the Asilomar Accords.

What are the Asilomar Accords, you ask? Let's make it a quiz:

A. A new model of high mileage vehicle from Honda. 

B. A new age musical group from Berkeley

C. A 12-step program to to overcome accordion addiction.

D. None of the above, and you have to continue reading to find out.

In August of 2004, a group of animal welfare industry leaders from across the nation convened at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, Calif., for the purpose of building bridges across varying philosophies, developing relationships and creating goals focused on reducing the number of animals euthanized in the United States.

The outcome was the Asilomar Accords, which include a set of guiding principles, standardized definitions, a statistics table for tracking shelter populations and a formula for determining shelter live release rates -- all so shelters and other stakeholders can get a better understanding of  progress nationwide.

You can read more about it here.

Here are the guiding principles:

1. The mission of those involved in creating the Asilomar Accords is to work together to save the lives of all healthy and treatable companion animals.

2. We recognize that all stakeholders in the animal welfare community have a passion for and are dedicated to the mutual goal of saving animals' lives.

3. We acknowledge that the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals is the sad responsibility of some animal welfare organizations that neither desired nor sought this task. We believe that the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals is a community-wide problem requiring community-based solutions. We also recognize that animal welfare organizations can be leaders in bringing about a change in social and other factors that result in the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals, including the compounding problems of some pet owners'/guardians' failure to spay and neuter; properly socialize and train; be tolerant of; provide veterinary care to; or take responsibility for companion animals.

4. We, as animal welfare stakeholders, agree to foster a mutual respect for one another. When discussing differences of policy and opinion, either publicly or within and among our own agencies, we agree to refrain from denigrating or speaking ill of one another. We will also encourage those other individuals and organizations in our sphere of influence to do the same.

5. We encourage all communities to embrace the vision and spirit of these Accords, while acknowledging that differences exist between various communities and geographic regions of the country.

6. We encourage the creation of local "community coalitions" consisting of a variety of organizations (e.g., governmental animal control agencies, nonprofit shelters, grassroots foster care providers, feral cat groups, funders and veterinary associations) for the purpose of saving the lives of healthy and treatable animals. We are committed to the belief that no one organization or type of organization can achieve this goal alone, that we need one another, and that the only true solution is to work together. We need to find common ground, put aside our differences and work collaboratively to reach the ultimate goal of ending the euthanasia of healthy and treatable companion animals.

7. While we understand that other types of programs and efforts (including adoption, spay and neuter programs, education, cruelty investigations, enforcement of animal control laws and regulations, behavior and training assistance and feral cat management) play a critical role in impacting euthanasia figures, for purposes of this nationwide initiative we have elected to leave these programs in the hands of local organizations and encourage them to continue offering, and expanding upon, these critical services.

8. In order to achieve harmony and forward progress, we encourage each community coalition to discuss language and terminology which has been historically viewed as hurtful or divisive by some animal welfare stakeholders (whether intentional or inadvertent), identify "problem" language, and reach a consensus to modify or phase out language and terminology accordingly.

9. We believe in the importance of transparency and the open sharing of accurate, complete animal-sheltering data and statistics in a manner which is clear to both the animal welfare community and the public.

10. We believe it is essential to utilize a uniform method for collecting and reporting shelter data, in order to promote transparency and better assess the euthanasia rate of healthy and treatable animals. We determined that a uniform method of reporting needs to include the collection and analysis of animal-sheltering data as set forth in the "Animal Statistics Table." These statistics need to be collected for each individual organization and for the community as a whole and need to be reported to the public annually (e.g., web sites, newsletters, annual reports). In addition, we determined that each community's "Live Release Rate" needs to be calculated, shared and reported annually to the public, individually by each organization and jointly by each community coalition. Both individual organizations and community coalitions should strive for continuous improvement of these numbers. The "Animal Statistics Table" and formulas for calculating the "Live Release Rate" are set forth in Section IV of these Accords.

11. We developed several standard "definitions" to enable uniform and accurate collection, analysis and reporting of animal-sheltering data and statistics. We encourage all communities to adopt the definitions which are set forth in Section III, and implement the principles of these Accords.

12. While we recognize that many animal welfare organizations provide services to companion animals other than dogs and cats, for purposes of this nationwide initiative we have elected to collect and share data solely as it relates to dogs and cats.

13. We are committed to continuing dialogue, analysis and potential modification of this vision as needs change and as progress is made toward achieving our mission.

14. Those involved in the development of the Asilomar Accords have agreed to make a personal commitment to ensure the furtherance of these accords, and to use their professional influence to bring about a nationwide adoption of this vision.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Preoccupied with life's developments, which range from leaving the paper to getting the hole in my ceiling fixed, I asked one of our loyal readers to serve as a citizen journalist last night, and pass on to us what transpired at the city's meeting on the future of dog parks.

Here is her report:

OK, here goes..mind u I'm typing on my phone and had a glass of wine w/ dinner, so bear with me.

Patterson Park was represented by both the dog park group and the general friends of patterson park group. locust point was also represented, as was canton dog park. both potential dog park groups, particularly patterson park, expressed frustrations with the city. They just want a list of requirements and no additions once those requirements are met. makes sense. and the councilpeople agreed.

issues of liability, maintenance, and volunteers were brought up. there was also the mention of off-leash times, rather than fenced in areas.

Jim Kraft stated numerous times that there needs to be a city-wide set of guidelines/application for dog parks, not just on a case by case basis.

everyone attending the meeting, including the new director of rec & parks, seemed on board with getting more dog parks in the city. we'll see what happens.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Ocean City, always looking for ways to lure us inlanders to the beach, has finally come up with a good one: It has opened its first off-leash dog park.

Local officials and residents gathered Tuesday morning for the dedication of the Ocean City Dog Playground in Little Salisbury Park. It's located behind the tennis courts on 94th Street.

The three-quarter acre park cost $43,000 to create. It sports a dog friendly water fountain, bioldegradable bags, garbage cans, picnic tables and separate areas for big dogs and little dogs, according to an article in delmarvanow.com.

Local dog owners can get a year-round access key for $50. Non-residents can get one for $100, or buy a 7-day pass from the city for $15.

Mayor Richard Meehan admitted it was about time the city had a dog park. "It's long overdue."

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Turning in a dogfighter -- if the information leads to arrest and conviction -- can now get you a $5,000 reward, The Humane Society of the United States will announce in Baltimore County today.

The rewards -- formerly $2,500 -- have been doubled with the help of a $200,000 donation from the Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation based in Hogansville, Ga.

"Were making a concerted effort to eliminate dog fighting," said John Goodwin, manager of animal fighting issues for the Humane Society of the United States.

The announcement comes at the anniversary of NFL quarterback Michael Vick's federal indictment for dog fighting in July 2007. Vick, now serving a 23-month sentence in federal prison, admitted to bankrolling Bad Newz Kennels on his property in Surry County, Virginia.

Since Vick's trial, the HSUS reports that arrests for dog fighting have tripled across the nation and that the HSUS has paid out 20 rewards this year alone. Goodwin said that many people are intimidated to come forward but Vick's indictment brought attention to the issue.

All tips are considered confidential.

To see more Sun coverage of dogfighting, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Uno -- you know, the beagle who won Best in Show at the 132nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show -- "threw" out the first pitch last weekend in a baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds.

He also made an appearance during the seventh-inning stretch, and hung around to have his picture taken with fans. The photo op cost $10 per picture, with proceeds going to Uno's favorite charity, the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Therapy Dog Program. Sales of Uno t-shirts also benefitted the charity.

Officials at Miller Park on Saturday said that, in addition to it being Uno's first-ever first pitch, it was believed to be the inaugural first pitch by a dog in Brewers history.

During the seventh inning stretch, Uno danced and barked along to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "Roll Out the Barrel" on top of the Brewers dugout.

It's good to see a champ that takes the time to acknowledge his fans. 

(Photo: Morry Gash, Associated Press)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Best Friends Animal Society says more than 20,000 people have put their signatures on an online petition urging Barack Obama and family to adopt a dog -- and that was just in the first 24 hours.

The society this week created a new website, ObamaFamilyDog.com, in response to an American Kennel Club online poll that designated five purebred choices it thought would be good for the Obama family.

Utah-based Best Friends, which operates the nation’s largest sanctuary for adoptable companion animals, hopes its web site will help convince the Obamas to adopt a homeless dog, as opposed to buying one from a breeder, puppy store, or online dog distributor.

“Our members are casting their votes at the rate of about 1,000 per hour,” said Julie Castle, director of community programs and services for Best Friends, which launched “A Puppy-Store-Free LA” campaign in Los Angeles last week.

The Obamas have said they promised their kids a dog once the presidential campaign concludes. Since then, many have chimed in about Barack's choice of a running mutt.

The AKC, Humane Society Legislative Fund and Best Friends have all established Web sites or polls to help Obama with the decision on what kind of dog to get and where.

Is there more interest in the dog he picks for his family than the vice presidential candidate he picks for the country?

Probably not. But -- given the outpouring on the topic from dog lovers -- maybe he should consider a canine as VP, preferably one that doesn't snarl and snap as much as Dick Cheney.

(AP photos)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

As more and more people move into previously wild areas, cases like that of Andre are becoming more common.

He was rescued last winter after he was seen crossing a country road in Alaska, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

Andre had been caught in an animal trap.

Pets getting caught in traps set out to snare wild game is a growing problem in states like Alaska, Montana and Idaho, where wild areas are increasingly becoming populated by non-wild types, and their dogs.

Andre has recovered from losing most of the lower half of his left legs, and is now serving as a poster child of sorts for those who want increased restrictions on trapping, according to a recent Associated Press article.

Karen McNaught, of Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue kennel in Wasilla, nursed Andre back to health, although she initially didn't think he would make it. "No one had seen a dog with two legs cut off like that," she said. "The bone was sticking out on both of them. It was horrible."

Another woman, the article reports, was charged when she took the trap that had snared her dog, Bo Diddley, just 10 feet off a trail near the fast growing town of Palmer, and left a nasty note for the trapper in its place.

Dog owners aren't the only ones complaining. After the Alaska Board of Game approved restrictions requiring that traps and snares be placed 50 yards off trails and trailheads in Chugach State Park, trappers protested. That move came after two dogs were caught in snares set out by wolverine trappers, who the board had earlier granted trapping rights in the half-million-acre state park near Anchorage. The park is now proposing that the board approve a 100-yard buffer on each side of designated trails and prohibit traps and snares within a half-mile of trailheads.

The Alaska Trappers Association produced a video a to help educate the non-trapping public on how to recognize a trap line and release a dog if caught, said association president Randy Zarnke.

"There are irresponsible dog owners and there are irresponsible trappers," Zarnke said. "Dogs that are not under the control of a human, that is a violation right there. It is easy to criticize the trapper but the dog owner is at least partially at fault."

(AP Photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The state’s highest court has rejected a challenge by dog track owners who wanted to eliminate a November ballot question in Massachusetts that will ask voters whether to ban dog racing.

The track owners argued the proposed ban could not be put to a statewide ballot vote because it is aimed exclusively at the two places where dog racing currently exists: Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere and the Raynham-Taunton Dog Track in Raynham.

But the state Supreme Judicial Court ruled Tuesday that dog racing amounts to a matter of statewide concern, the Boston Herald reported.

The court said the Legislature and the people have the power - through the initiative process - to abolish animal racing that involves betting. If voters approve it,the ban on dog racing would go into effect Jan. 1, 2010.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

It might have escaped your attention -- given there has been little in the way of an announcement -- but Baltimore's City Council will be holding a public meeting tomorrow on the future of dog parks in the city.

The present of dogs parks is this: There is only one. In Canton.

With other groups working to start more -- including one at Patterson Park and one at Latrobe Park in Locust Point -- city officials felt it would be wise to take a comprehensive look at the situation.

Which might be scary, or might be good.

The meeting will look at "the current status of the City's Dog Parks, as well as exploring future steps that can be taken to provide safe space for youth, families and groups engaging in recreational activities and for dog owners and their dogs."

The hearing, originally scheduled in April but postponed, will be held at 5 p.m. tomorrow at the Department of Recreation and Parks Administration Building at Druid Hill Park, 3001 East Drive.

The Locust Point Dog Park group encouraged its members and anyone else concerned with the lack of dog parks in Baltimore to attend.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 5:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Rocco, a beagle that disappeared from from a New York City yard five years ago, has been found 850 miles away in Georgia.

Randy Durrence, the supervisor at the Liberty County Animal Control in Hinesville, Ga., told the New York Post that someone dropped off the pooch on July 5. A microchip embedded under Rocco's skin helped trace him to his family in Queens -- Jorge and Cristina Villacis.

The couple's daughter, Natalie, who was five years old when Rocco disappeared, was ecstatic.

She told the New York Post: "I cried hysterically -- just like I did when they told me he was lost. I felt like I was in a dream."

Durrence says the shelter reunites many families with their pets but "it's unheard of" after so many years.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 5:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Best Friends Animal Society, the animal welfare organization that operates a huge sanctuary in Utah, has added its two-cents to the conversation on the dog Barack Obama has promised to get his family after the election.

If Obama is "all about change," the society says, "he should adopt a dog from a shelter."

So strongly does Best Friends feel about this -- that the maybe-soon-to-be first family should adopt from a shelter or rescue group -- that it has launched this Web site to spread the word.

The obamafamilydog.com web site gives people a chance to sign a petition that urges the Obamas to adopt a mixed breed rescue dog -- a recommendation in direct contrast to the American Kennel Club’s purebred-only suggestions for the Obamas.

After the AKC announced its new pick-Obamas-dog web site, the Humane Society Legislative Fund's announced a poll as well, aimed not at what kind of dog the family should get, but where they should get it, the not so subtle hint being, please not from a puppy mill or pet store or the Internet when so many dogs are in need of homes.

The Best Friends poll takes a more direct approach, asking people to sign a petition encouraging the Obamas to take home a homeless pooch.

“There are thousands of affectionate, loyal dogs of all sizes, shapes, and colors trapped in the animal control system who need a way out,” says Julie Castle, director of community programs for Best Friends, home to more than 2,000 adoptable animals. “There are also plenty of purebred dogs that can be adopted from breed rescue organizations, without purchasing one from a pet store.”

“Best Friends, along with many other animal welfare groups around the country, urge the Obamas -- and any family considering a dog -- to adopt one from a local shelter or breed rescue group, and never buy one from a pet store,” Castle said.

The new Web site says that if Sen. Obama becomes president, he’ll instantly be faced with decisions affecting millions of Americans. "By adopting a dog, he’ll be acting in the best interests of millions of American-born dogs who are looking for a loving home."

While the AKC has suggested five different types of purebred dogs that would fit the Obamas’ lifestyle, obamafamilydog.com explains how a mixed breed dog can be an excellent choice when it comes to families.

“In America’s shelters, millions of dogs are killed each year, in large part because there aren’t enough families for them,” Castle added. “For a candidate focused on ‘hope’ and ‘change,’ adopting a homeless pet is the right choice for the Obamas. It’s a win-win situation—for the Obamas and for dogs everywhere.”

The Web site lists numerous reasons for families to adopt instead of buy from a pet store or breeder. These include saving lives of dogs that ultimately will be euthanized, making the socially responsible choice, decreasing the demand for dogs from puppy mills and others.

“We understand that folks may have their heart set on a puppy or a particular breed,” Castle said. “But the problem is when you buy from a pet store you help perpetuate the endless cycle of mass breeding that occurs in puppy mills, while thousands of abused, abandoned dogs languish or die in shelters every day.”  

(Photos courtesy of Bestfriends.org)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Among the Grand Canyon's many mysteries is this one: How did it one remote, but stunningly beautiful extension of it end up being a home to stray dogs?

The strays, referred to as "Grand Canyon Hiking Dogs," sometimes follow hikers on their treks throughout Havasu Canyon, according to a report in the Arizona Republic.

"The dogs have learned to connect with people to get food," said Danyelle Schott. "They just follow you."

Schott was hiking with friends last March in Havasu Canyon, a branch of the Grand Canyon known for its pools and waterfalls, when they were joined by a group of dogs that tagged along for the duration of their eight-mile hike. The hikers tossed them food, and fed them water, then felt guilty when they left them behind.

That guilt led the four friends to contact members of the Havasupai tribe, whose lands the canyon is on, and ask how they could help. The result was an organization called HavasuPup, which focuses on assisting needy animals of the Havasu Canyon in northwestern Arizona.

Schott returned to the Grand Canyon in June to look for some of the dogs and puppies that had followed them out of the Canyon in March. One shepherd-mix puppy, which they named Havasu Trooper, particularly haunted the friends. They found her and took her home.

To date, HavasuPup has assisted in rescuing 40 animals and securing adoptive homes.

Schott said that the goals of HavasuPup are to remove most of the existing stray Canyon dogs; arrange for medical care if needed; secure adoptive homes; and through education and the spay/neuter program, assist in keeping the Canyon animal population healthy.

(AP Photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Each year an estimated 500,000 pets are affected by home fires.

To help reduce that number, the National Volunteer Fire Council, American Kennel Club and ADT Security Services will hold a news conference in Greenbelt today to offer safety tips.

The event will feature a firefighter demonstrating  a specially designed oxygen mask to resuscitate pets injured by smoke inhalation, and demonstrations of "how a free static window cling (aka 'pets inside' decal in the front window) can help firefighters better rescue pets during a fire."

There will also be a video shown from a pet owner who recently experienced a house fire and saved her pets, thanks to a home fire monitoring system. Two Italian Greyhounds will also be on hand to assist in the demonstration, the AKC says.

If all this sounds to you like an attempt to sell safety equipment, you're probably partly right. But it's also an attempt to keep dogs safer, and that's a trend we can't argue with.

Oxygen masks for pets, for example, are becoming standard equipment for firefighters, and animal advocacy groups, kennel clubs and pet-products suppliers are equipping departments all over the country with them. Not too long ago, we told you about a Howard county girl scout troop that did just that.

The masks were originally developed for use by veterinarians but have evolved into rescue tools over the past several years.

(Associated Press Photo: Maple, a mixed breed belonging to Vermont firefighter Will Berkovits, left, demonstrates an oxygen mask made for pets.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Whether its a rumba with your retriever, a polka with your poodle, or a samba with your Scottish terrier, dancing with your dog is the latest craze in increasingly dog-crazy Japan, according to this report by Reuters.

Dancing lessons have joined a long list of things to do with your dog in Japan, where the $9.5 billion pet industry is thriving, and dog-friendly hotels and cafes are popping up all over.

Japan has more dogs and cats than children under 15, the result of an aging population and a declining birthrate. Animals, and dogs especially, are often seen on the streets of Tokyo, dressed up in specially made clothes and being pushed about in strollers.

And at dance class "Wan Nyan World", which means "Woof Meow" in Japanese, dog-lovers and their reluctant partners dance to everything from waltzes to ABBA's "Dancing Queen".

"Whether it's a Chihuahua or a big Saint Bernard, if you have the right music and moves, any dog can dance. Even age doesn't matter," said 51-year-old Mayumi Ozuma, who teaches the class. "Dog dancing allows owners and their dogs to show their individuality."

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Trust me, that's him -- the big blob there next to the circular walkway: "Boris, the dog so big he can be seen from space."

Or so the Bull Mastiff has been touted ever since the brother-in-law of Fran Milner, whose family owns the Tudor Grange Hotel in the United Kingdom, was Google-earthing one day and came across what he thinks is the hotel's resident hound, laying on the grass by the sundial.

That's Boris' favorite spot to sprawl after snarfing up breakfast leftovers, and the hotel owners have no doubt that the not so distinctive lump in the satellite mapping images is him.

Boris, thanks in part to handouts from guests at the hotel in Dorset, tips the scales at 200 pounds.

Boris has since become somewhat of a celebrity in the quiet holiday resort town, with hotel guests eager to have their pictures snapped with the dog, according to an article in The Tech Herald.

(Photo/Google Earth)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 5:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

How the tanking economy is overwhelming animal shelters (and those in Baltimore, by the way, are no exception) was the subject of an article in yesterday's Boston Herald.

"Owners struggling to pay for gas, food and housing," the article points out, "can no longer afford their best friends."

Pets are being dropped off, or just abandoned on the streets, at three times the rate of last year in Boston, and the ensuing lack of space in shelters will almost certainly translate into a death sentence for many of those.

“It’s a pressure cooker to get these animals homes,” said Brian Adams, spokesman for the The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “We’re a last resort for these animals. . . . We’re a large facility, (but) it does tax our resources greatly ... We’re going to run out of space.”

Similar reports are coming in from across the country, as cash-strapped pet owners are being forced to give up their homes, then finding difficulties finding pet-friendly new accomodations.

Donna Delviscovo of Medford was forced to give up her 13-year-old Labrador-golden retriever Lady when she lost her house in March. “She was my baby. It was like losing a child," she said.

At one stage, she slept for two nights in her car with Lady while she waited for it to be adopted by a new family through an area pet rescue.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Her husband may be a superhero, but Baltimore native Jada Pinkett Smith says that  right now, she needs the Dog Whisperer.

The wife of Will Smith (now starring in the movie Hancock) has called in Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan -- dog behaviorist to the stars -- for advice on dealing with rattlesnakes of the family's Malibu, Calif., ranch.

Jada's dog, Rocco, was killed by a rattler at the ranch, according to the New York Daily News.

Pinkett Smith recently told WENN news, "I'm willing to do what's necessary to make sure I don't have this same event happen again."

According to a fan club Web site, the Smiths had five dogs, all mutts.

Milan filmed his efforts to train the Smiths' remaining dogs to be wary of rattlesnakes for an episode of his Dog Whisperer show.

Milan told Jada (she wrote the foreword to his book Cesar's Way) that more than 150,000 household pets are killed or left injured by snakes each year,

The actress was born in Baltimore on Sept. 18, 1971, and majored in dance at the Baltimore School for the Arts.

(AP photo) 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Beijing has asked hotels and restaurants in the city to take dog meat off the menu for the duration of next month's Olympics.

The capital city, which recently saw the opening of its first Hooters (ain't Western influence a wonderful thing?) ordered hotels and restaurants contracting with Olympics to remove dog from the menu, and asked other restaurants to go along as well -- at least until the Olympics conclude.

Concerned that canine dishes might offend animal rights groups and Western visitors, Beijing said restaurants expected to be popular among foreign visitors must stop serving dog meat "to respect the dining customs of different countries," Reuters reported today.

(Hooters, which respects the customs of plunging necklines and extremely short shorts, doesn't serve dogs -- unless you count the customers.)

A temporary ban on serving dog in restaurants was enacted in South Korea in 1988, when the Olympics were held in Seoul.

(AP photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Overstock.com went fur-free on Thursday -- but not until after discovering that some of the "raccoon fur" it was selling was actually made from "dogs."

The Salt Lake City-based Internet retailer was advised of the substitutions in a letter from the Humane Society of the United States, which detailed numerous other atrocities allegedly committed by "fur factories" and urged the company to stop selling pelts.

"The more we heard about the fur industry, the more we realized we didn't want anything to do with it," said Patrick Byrne, chairman and CEO of Overstock.com, is quoted as saying in an article in yesterday's Salt Lake Tribune.

Byrne said Overstock.com estimates it will lose up to $5 million in pelt revenues.

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS, said the decision will pay off in the long run. "While there is this cost, it's our hope that when companies make socially responsible decisions, they attract the support of humane-minded consumers," he said. "Corporate social responsibility must include animal welfare. We have options in our society; we can do better than to kill animals for their fur."

Over the past three winters, the HSUS says it has identified dozens of falsely advertised or falsely labeled garments -- 70 percent of which contained fur from the raccoon dog, an Asian member of the canid family that is commonly skinned in China for its fur.

Among the false names used for raccoon dog fur are: faux fur, ecological fur, polyester, coyote, rabbit, Canis latranis, raccoon and finni raccon.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Probably the first thing one's eyes were drawn to in Ace's backyard was the humongous wall that looms over it -- a vast grey expanse of cinder block that makes up one side of a neighboring warehouse.

Not that Ace minded it much, but as part of the yard-pimping, we decided to address it, and bring some birds into the yard at the same time. 

Ace likes watching birds. And I like watching Ace watching birds.

So we started building birdhouses -- using scrap wood, limbs trimmed from the big out of control tree out back, and a bit of imagination. My son and I focused on the guitar birdhouse (above right); my girlfriend churned out most of the rest.

By placing them along the backside of the warehouse, it helped create a focal point that took attention away from the big blur of grey.

On top of that, we figured it would protect future generations of baby robins, like the ones born under my neighbor's deck, from the fate that befell one of them when something knocked the nest down.

We've haven't seen anyone move in yet, but a few birds have been checking them out.

Meanwhile, after pondering the project for months, I finally started in on the fence, with my son's help. We managed, through wisely shopping for wood and supplies, to build it for less than $150, unless you're my landlord, in which case it cost $1,000. (And could you please move that car?)

Other than that, it was just a matter of some flowers, some watering and lots of hard work -- again most of it not by me (but then I was busy documenting the transition, you see) -- to fully pimp Ace's yard.

He seems pleased with it. He likes to lay out and watch birds, like he did in Montana, keep an eye out for invading rodents, lay on the cool paving stones amid the hosta, and hang out by the grill in hopes something meaty will get dropped.

As you can see, he's a much happier mutt.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

On the heels of an American Kennel Club poll asking the question, "What kind of dog should the Obamas buy?" comes another asking the public where the Obamas should get their dog.

If it all seems to you like way too much poking one's nose in somebody else's business -- after all we didn't get to vote on whom Bill Clinton should dally with, or whether Jenna Bush should live in Canton or Federal Hill -- then we're in agreement.

But at least the poll sponsored by the Humane Society Legislative Fund has a valid point behind it.

If you haven't been following the story, the Obama family has no dog, and the Democratic candidate has stated that after the campaign, win or lose, they plan to get one.

Meanwhile, Republican candidate John McCain, with 24 pets at home, has been shown in a new AP-Yahoo News survey to be favored by pet owners by 42 to 37 percent. Dog owners support McCain by an even larger margin.

Among people who don't have pets, Obama leads McCain 48 percent to 34 percent. The American Pet Product Manufacturers Association estimates that 63 percent of American homes include a pet, including 88 million cats and 75 million dogs.

As Michael Markarian, president of The Humane Society Legislative Fund, an arm of the Humane Society of the United States, explains the support for McCain among pet owners is likely due to the fact that pet owners are more likely to be white and married -- both demographics among which McCain has higher appeal.

Markarian in a recent entry on his blog, said he doubts that McCain's menagerie translates into more support among the cat, doggie and gerbil crowds.

Markarian also came up with his own answer to the American Kennel Club poll, announced last week, that is allowing people to vote online for which breed of dog the Obamas should get -- limiting that voting to five non-allergenic breeds.

As responses to that item on our blog shows, there's widespread support for the concept that the Obamas should get a mutt, more particularly one that's in need of a home.

Markarian is asking readers to "weigh in on where the Obamas should get their dog after the election — from an animal shelter, a breed rescue group, a pet store, a small breeder, or an Internet seller — and we will forward the results of our survey to the Obama campaign."

Of course, as an animal advocate, he goes on to make it clear which choice is best: "Dogs purchased from pet stores and over the Internet come from factory-style puppy mills, where breeding adult dogs live their entire lives in filthy, wire cages. They are treated like a cash crop and receive no socialization or human interaction, making them sick, diseased and crazed with loneliness. Wonderful dogs in need of loving homes can be found at animal shelters and rescue groups — whether they are mutts or pure-bred."

To vote in Markarian's poll, click here.

To vote in the AKC poll, click here.

(Photo from Barackobama.com)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I haven't been tuning in, but the CBS Early Show has been doing a daily segment on dogs all this week -- and if yesterday's was any indication, the focus is on purebreds.

Yesterday, they featured four rare breeds -- the Basenji, Chinese Crested, Petite Basset Griffon Vendeen and the Otterhound.

The series, "Early Goes to the Dogs," featuring "resident veterinarian" Debbye Turner (perhaps she lives in the studio?), wraps up tomorrow.

If you're watching, let me know if mutts are getting any representation, or shelter dogs. I'm curious.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

First, we grew some grass, which wasn't easy.

Between lacking an outside source of water (there's a faucet, but it's disconnected), city soil that was something less than fertile loam, and Ace's need to sprinkle in as many locations as possible, the seed we planted grew slowly, and there were patches where it wouldn't grow at all.

Step one, once it started coming up, was to try and centralize Ace's peeing location -- to create one spot where he could kill the grass, instead of multiple ones.

So we bought a decorative fire hydrant, which, to date, Ace has yet to pee on.

Nevetheless, the grass continued to grow in spots. We moved the few sickly shrubs in the center of the yard to the side to give Ace more running room, and put a vegetable garden on the other side, against the giant warehouse wall that runs the length of our yard.

Having created a little more green space for Ace, we extended the patio, using paving stones, to give us enough room for a grill and table.

In an attempt to keep creatures out of the vegetable garden, we procured another lawn ornament, a plastic owl, to scare intruders off. For a while it worked. But critters -- rats mostly -- resumed invading, requiring us to build a little fence and then a bigger one.

(Note: Our liberal use of the word "we" is intended to disguise the fact that my girlfriend did most of the work.)

We purchased a picnic table from  Mr. Lee, who builds them from scrap construction lumber in an alley off of Heath Street, between Light and Charles, and used an old beach umbrella to provide some shade.

We put out rat poison -- the kind they take back to the nest and share -- making sure to bury it deep enough that Ace wouldn't find it, and we kept an extra close eye on him when he was out. To keep rats from tunneling under the fence from our neighbor's yard and up through our mulch,  we crammed steel wool in the holes.

Because our landlord's non-running car (an old Alfa Romeo) sits in the very back of the yard, and because he's having trouble getting it moved because he lost the keys, we took down the shabby old lattice and built a real fence, which blocks it and the alley from view. Once his car is gone, assuming I measured correctly, we'll have room to park two cars back there.

Making space for your dog, in South Baltimore, is much easier than making space for your car.

Another goal of our project was to invite some non-rat wildlife into the yard, so we went on a birdhouse building binge. The one in the top left of the photo below -- in the shape of an electric guitar -- was built by my son. To view them, and see the rest of our yard-pimping effort, check back tomorrow.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Remember the North Carolina state tooper fired last year for kicking his dog -- on video no less -- as part of the dog's alleged training?

He has gotten a new job as a patrol officer with the Apex, N.C. Police Department, the Raleigh News & Observer reports.

Charlie Jones, a 14-year veteran and sergeant with the N.C. State Highway Patrol, was fired in September after he was captured on cell phone video kicking his dog, Ricoh, at least five times as the dog hung from a railing.

When it became public, there was a storm of protest from people like you and me and even N.C. Gov. Mike Easley, who wanted the veteran trooper fired. Eventually, he was.

Apex, a fast growing Raleigh suburb, hired Jones four months after he was fired. His starting salary is $39,083 a year, about two-thirds of his annual salary with the Highway Patrol.

There's still a chance Jones could get his state job back -- complete with back pay. A judge ruled last month that the trooper's actions were "within the scope of his training" and that he was fired under improper pressure from the governor's office.

While the judge recommended he be reinstated, the final decision will be made by the State Personnel Commission.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

As you hard-core readers may recall (click here if you don't), Ace -- and perhaps too his master -- was less than thrilled six months ago when we returned to the city of Baltimore from a hiatus in Montana.

We love Baltimore, but Montana took our breath away. (Don't hiatus for that.)

We moved into a new (for us) rowhouse, with a decent sized (for a rowhouse) yard -- one that sported actual growth, unlike our first, cement, backyard in Baltimore.

Despite having a little room to romp in Baltimore, Ace -- who'd grown accustomed to the big skies of Montana, to life on a ranch, to frolicking in rivers and galloping like a horse down dusty trails -- would have little to do with it.

Instead, back in Baltimore, he mostly just sat on what there was of a patio and stared out at the overgrown yard.

It wasn't the most alluring of spaces -- weed-filled, rife with broken glass and beer cans, and with a fence made of lattice, strung to posts. It didn't attract much wildlife, unless you count rats, who could be seen nightly. Pretty much the only times Ace would venture into the yard would be to chase one of those, or relieve himself.

Once winter rolled by, there still wasn't much green coming through, and between the cracked cement patio and assorted junk behind the house, once I started going outside myself, I could see Ace's point. The space wasn't exactly beckoning me to break out the grill, much less have anybody over for a visit

What Ace's yard needed was a good pimping -- and, as you can see from the before and after pictures above, we gave it one.

The idea was to make the yard more Ace-friendly, more people-friendly, and more wildlife-friendly (except for rats), and I can proudly say (while admitting I didn't do most of the work) I think we achieved that.

How? Check back tomorrow for part 2.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

As we've reported here before, Republican presidential candidate John McCain has 24 pets, while Democratic contender Barack Obama has none.

As we've also reported, Obama has promised his family that, win or lose, they will get a dog when the campaign concludes. 

Not that he needs any help with that task, but the American Kennel Club is offering some -- being so bold even as to recommend five breeds and create a website where we can vote on which the Obama family should have: presidentialpup.com. 

"The AKC has scoured all of the canine candidates to assess each breed’s credentials as potential first pet." the organization reports. Because of Obama's daughters’ allergies, AKC experts made the selection from a list of hypoallergenic breeds.

 “Deciding what breed to get is as important as deciding whether to get a dog in the first place,” says AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. “The first step in being a responsible pet owner is to do some serious and careful research to determine which breed of dog is right for you and your family.”

You can vote before August 19, 2008 at www.presidentialpup.com where the winning breed will be announced.

Personally, my hope is Obama (A) wins (B) tells the AKC to take a hike and (C) opts for a shelter mutt.

But, for the record, here (with only a few edits and insertions) is what the AKC recommended, based on how child-friendly each breed was (Obama's daughters are 6 and 9); whether they were good travel companions, their energy level and temperament:

The Bichon Frise (pronounced BEE-shon Free-ZAY) –- A small yet sturdy dog with a white, loosely curled double coat, Bichons are naturally sociable. They have a self-assured temperament and are likely to get along with just about everyone. Their active, alert and curious personalities make them easy to train, and the breed’s has a history of being a companion to noblemen in the courts of 16th-century France.

The Chinese Crested -– (pronounced chai-KNEES Crest'd) -- Their Chinese and African heritage makes for an exotic pedigree, and with its unique appearance it’s certain to turn heads. Coming in two varieties, hairless and the powderpuff, Cresteds are lively, playful and alert dogs with plenty of energy. While they are exceptionally loving and affectionate with children, they are only appropriate for mature children who can be taught to handle this diminutive breed gently and responsibly.

The Poodle (pronounced POOH-dull) -- Although often considered high-maintenance show dogs, Poodles are exceptionally smart and athletic. They excel in obedience training and even as hunting companions. The breed comes in three sizes. While their coat does require frequent grooming, their intelligence and versatility more than make up for the extra care. The Poodle is currently the eighth most popular breed in the U.S., according to AKC registrations statistics, but it spent more than two decades in the top spot -- a testament to its suitability as a family pet.

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier’s coat grows longer on his chin and over his eyes, giving him a scruffy appearance, but this intelligent, affectionate and loving breed makes a dignified companion. The breed’s playfulness and courageous spirit would likely make him an ambassador of goodwill in the White House. Despite their affable and gentle nature, they are true terriers and thus must be handled firmly, fairly and with consistency.

The Miniature Schnauzer -- Schnauzers also come in three sizes (although unlike the Poodle, each size is considered a separate breed). The Miniature Schnauzer is the most popular of the three breeds and is an active, alert dog who loves to be the center of the household. This versatile breed makes a sturdy playmate for kids, is highly intelligent and an excellent watchdog.

(Illustrations courtesy of American Kennel Club)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)
        

The American Kennel Club reports that dog thefts are on the rise.

In the first five months of 2008, the AKC has tracked dozens of pet thefts from news and customer reports, compared to only a handful for all of 2007. Thefts from pet stores, breeding operations, shelters, back yards and cars are all increasing, the AKC says.

To lessen the likelihood of your dog being a victim, it recommends not letting your dog wander off-leash, and not leaving your dog unattended in your yard. It also warns breeders to be aware of theives in the guise of potential puppy buyers.

From Yorkies in Los Angeles to bulldogs in Connecticut, dogs have been stolen by thieves posing as would be "puppy buyers" who visited breeder homes, then returned later to snatch dogs.

The possibility of theft is another good reason to never leave your dog unattended in a car, even if it's locked, the AKC says. It also recommends against leaving your dog tied up outside a store, a popular practice among urban dog owners. Reports have surfaced nationwide of dogs left in such a manner being snatched, particularly in Manhattan.

The AKC recommends microchipping your dog, and keeping your contact information up to date. If you suspect your dog has been stolen, immediately call the police, animal control and pet shelters in the area where your pet was last seen. Also, keep a photo of your dog in your wallet or on your computer, so that you can distribute and post it immediately if your pet goes missing.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The U.S. firm that claims to hold sole worldwide rights to commercially clone dogs says steps are being taken to sue the Korean firm that has cloned a dog for a California woman, the Korea Times reports today.

Start Licensing, a U.S. firm that issued a cloning license to the American firm BioArts International, has filed a cease and desist letter against RNL Bio, a Seoul company working with Seoul National University, which produced the world's first cloned dog in 2005.

RNL Bio said that it had not been notified of any legal action, and hinted it would countersue, according to the Times.

RNL, a Seoul-based biotech firm, said in February that it had received an order from a U.S. woman to produce a genetic copy of her late pitbull terrier, named Booger ― three clones are expected to be born sometime later this month via a surrogate mother.

Start Licensing, a Texas-based firm claiming to be holding the patent rights to clone dogs, cats and endangered species, developed at the Roslin Institute for the Dolly project, filed a formal cease and desist letter to RNL Bio, June 30, through a Korean law firm, sources told the newspaper.

RNL Bio says the dogs will be the first commercially cloned, while BioArts CEO Lou Hawthorne says his clones of his family dog Missy were the first produced commercially.

BioArts, a California-based company, claims it has obtained exclusive licenses for the cloning of mammals using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology from Start Licensing. BioArts is currently running an online auction to clone five dogs, with the bidding starting at $100,000. And last week it offered a free cloning to a retired Canadian policeman whose dog helped in the rescue effort during 9/11. He was chosen from entries in a company sponsored essay contest.

Ra Jeong-chan, president of RNL, said that his company hasn't been officially contacted by the Korean law firm representing Start Licensing. He said his company could sue BioArts and its Korean subcontractors, Sooam BioTech Research Center, led by scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who was part of the Seoul National University team that cloned the first dog, but was later fired for falsifying data.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

From the news-we’d-rather-not-hear department, comes this tidbit: A small dog -- described in some reports as a miniature dachshund, in others as a dachsund (which we warned you about earlier) -- last week chewed the big toe off his owner while she slept.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Linda Floyd, 56, of Alton, is a diabetic who suffers from neuropathy and has no feeling in her feet.

She took a nap Monday afternoon and awoke to find her dog Roscoe licking her right foot, then realized her big toe, which had been bandaged because of a hangnail, was gone.

An ambulance took Floyd to the hospital and Madison County Animal Control personnel picked up Roscoe. Floyd said that, though she loved the dog, she was concerned he might hurt someone else and agreed to have it euthanized.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Attention, America, or at least all you state and local politicians who are banning or considering banning ownership of pit bulls, Rottweilers and other big, scary dogs: In the midst of your rush to pass breed specific legislation, a new study has shown that the most aggressive dog breed in the world is ...

Yes, the dachshund, the weiner dog, better known in some countries as the sausage dog.

This vicious beast, despite enjoying a good reputation, is at the very top of a list of 33 dog breeds that were rated for their aggression in a study that analyzed the behavior of thousands of dogs.

One in five dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers; about one in five have attacked other dogs, and one in 12 have snapped at their owners, according to the study, which was reported in the London Telegraph.

Before all you dachshund owners start experiencing the same fears as pit bull owners, and begin contemplating how to hide your pet from authorities (a large bun, perhaps?), it should be pointed out that, as a small dog, a dachshund won't inflict the same amount of damage as a large one, or the same amount of headlines.

So you're probably safe. Now that we're all relaxed we can move on to No. 2 on the most aggressive list .... German Shepherd, maybe? Perhaps the Chow Chow, or Doberman.

Nope. It's the chihuahua. Look out, Paris Hilton.

Chihuahuas, even smaller than dachshunds, and the fashion accessory of choice for Paris Hilton and other celebrities, were the second most hostile breed.

According to the study, they are fairly regularly snapping or attempting to bite strangers, family and other dogs.

In third place was another small dog ... the breed that captured our heart in the television show, Frazier -- the Jack Russell terrier. The study shows beyond any doubt: Small dogs are not to be trusted.

Just kidding, of course. But that is precisely the sort of generalization those passing laws against pit bulls are making. (Then again, they are probably small politicians, who really can't be trusted.)

There may, however, actually be some basis behind my theory that small dogs often display a bit of a Napolean complex -- at least judging from the number that yap and snap at my big dog.

Dr. James Serpell, a University of Pennsylvania researcher who worked on the study, said smaller breeds might be more genetically predisposed towards aggressive behavior than larger dogs.

"Reported levels of aggression in some cases are concerning, with rates of bites or bite attempts rising as high as 20 per cent toward strangers and 30 per cent toward unfamiliar dogs," he added.

Most research into canine aggression up to now has focused on dog bites, but researchers said that data (pit bulls aren't at the top of that list either) is misleading. Most dog bites aren't reported, and because the bites of big dogs are more likely to get reported, they are generally viewed as more aggressive.

The study, published this week in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, involved researchers from the University of Pennsylvania questioning 6,000 dog owners. Breeds scoring low for aggression included Basset hounds, golden retrievers, labradors, Siberian huskies. The rottweiler, pit bull and Rhodesian ridgeback scored average or below average marks for hostility towards strangers. Greyhounds rated the most docile.

The study also showed that "temperament testing" isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Owners of 67 dogs temperament tested and subsequently adopted from one shelter were interviewed by telephone within 13 months of adoption. The interviews included questions about jumping up, house soiling, separation-related behavior, barking and aggressive behavior.

In evaluating dogs that passed the temperament test used by the shelter, it was found that 40.9% exhibited lunging, growling, snapping, and/or biting after adoption. When barking was included, this percentage rose to 71.2%.

"Our results indicated that there are certain types of aggressive tendencies (territorial, predatory, and intra-specific aggression) that are not reliably exhibited during temperament testing using this particular evaluation process," the researchers said The researchers said temperament tests often fail to identify certain types of aggression.

(Photos by Associated Press)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (68)
        

It's the Miss USA of dog shows -- a canine competition in which talents take a back seat and beauty and "conformation" rule.

You'll find no demonstrations of agility, no displays of obedience. It doesn't matter if contestants can catch a Frisbee or track a fox.

Yesterday's National Capital Kennel Club conformation show at the Howard County Fairgrounds was the equivalent of a beauty pageant for dogs, Sun reporter Laura Barnhardt writes in today's paper, "a very big beauty pageant."

More than 1,500 canines representing more than 150 breeds too their turns prancing before judges and admirers for a chance to win the coveted "Best in Show" ribbon.

The event used to be held on the National Mall and was a social event in Washington, attended by ambassadors and senators.

The competition was the last in four days of dog shows at the suburban fairgrounds. The back-to-back events draw breeders from across the country, and each day's competition offers the dogs a chance to earn points toward "champion" titles.

Photo: The National Capital Kennel Club contest at Howard County Fairgrounds drew Suzzy (foreground), Fed Ex (center) and Mac. (Sun photo by Algerina Perna)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Two workers at an animal shelter in Denton, Texas, have been suspended without pay after a dog was mistakenly euthanized there.

The city had picked up a 3-year-old black Labrador mix named Amicus on May 8 after the dog escaped from the yard of its owners, according to an Associated Press report in the Houston Chronicle.

When the couple arrived to pick the dog up May 15, they learned Amicus had been killed that morning. Police officials say a shelter worker apparently didn't notice the entry on the dog's records saying the couple had made arrangements to reclaim it.

One employee was suspended for two days for the euthanasia error. Another was suspended for three days for "poor customer service."

"We had good policies and procedures in place," said Police Chief Roy Minter, whose department oversees the city-run shelter. "But this has given us the opportunity to say that we can enhance those policies and procedures."

The dog's owners, Shawn Snider and Beth Bayless-Snider, are asking the city for $206,000 for the loss of the dog and future breeding opportunities, along with "emotional pain and stress."

An analysis by the Denton Record-Chronicle found that the dog mistakenly euthanized May 15 wasn't the first such mistake at the shelter.

In 2006, an Australian shepherd was mistaken for another dog and accidentally euthanized.
after an employee "failed to follow the established procedures," according to internal records.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Gil Jawetz, the painter of dogs whose work was the first to be featured at Canton's Yellow Dog Tavern when it opened last year, is back for another round.

To celebrate their first anniversary, the tavern, at 700 S. Potomac St., is presenting a new collection of work by Jawetz. The  show, "Human(e) Beings," explores the relationships between people and animals from a variety of emotions and perspectives."

While the earlier exhibit by Jawetz focused on big dogs, the paintings featured in the new one are  personal images of people with dogs, cats and other animals.

Jawetz, in return for the inspiration they bring him, will give 5% of the sales from the show back to the animals, through a donation to the Baltimore animal rescue group Recycled Love.

The show will be on display from July 1 - 28, with an wine reception on July 15 from 6 to 8 p.m.

"Some of the paintings are funny, some are melancholy, and some are ambiguous. Many of the paintings are very personal," Jawetz said.

"I used my love of Impressionist art and of contemporary painters like Lucian Freud and Malcolm Liepke to try out new things with poses, colors and atmosphere."

Jawetz studied at the Art Students League of New York and currently works out of his studio in Baltimore.

He was showcasing his work at this weekend's Parade of Pets at the American Visionary Arts Museum, when we ran into him again and snapped a photo of him at work on a painting of his own dog, Pete.

Jawetz, when he wasn't watching the antics on stage -- where dozens of dogs displayed their talents or lack thereof -- worked on the painting throughout the event.

The finished product -- or at least the point it was at when the event concluded -- is to the right.

"There are things about it that I would normally develop further and fix," Jawetz said in the email in which he sent the picture along to us.

"But I decided that since my goal was to paint for the two hours that the festivities took place that I wouldn't make any changes after the fact.

"So this is the finished piece: Two hours worth of noisy, crazy, distracted painting. Definitely a memorable experience -- and one that I hope to have again in the future."

To see more of his work, visit his website: www.buskerdog.com. 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Urbanite goes to the dogs, cats, horses, cows and several other species -- tamed and untamed -- in its newest issue.

July's issue of the local magazine is dedicated to urban animals, and a few of those who live on the edges of Baltimore -- from the pets we invite into our homes to the wild species in our backyards and beyond.

The issue includes an interview with the amazing Temple Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and the author of the bestseller Animals in Translation, who credits her insights into the way animals think to her autism.

Like animals, says Grandin,"I think in pictures ...As soon as you start thinking in words, you lose details. It’s the price we pay for abstract thought.”

In the issue's lead feature story, “Year of the Horse,” writer Charles Cohen chronicles the century-plus history and troubled future of the arabbers, Baltimore’s celebrated horse-and-cart produce merchants.

The closing of the arabbers’ largest stable in August 2007 and new regulations have all but eliminated the carts from the streets. Cohen followed the efforts of the arabber community to  save the dying trade, and he supplemented his in-depth portrait with accompanying documentary videos posted to the Urbanite website.

Also in the issue are a feature on local dog painter Gil Jawetz, and senior editor Greg Hanscom’s “Where the Wild Things Are,” a look at the Baltimore Ecosystem Study.  There's useful information about what to do when your pet dies, when you find a stray, and how to adopt a pet. And former Sun reporter Richard O'Mara reflects on his childhood cat. Bingo was his name.

Urbanite is a free monthly magazine about cities and city life as seen through the distinctive lens of Baltimore. Each issue revolves around a central theme and offers a range of perspectives to illuminate urban living.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The pug to your left came disguised as a crab cake. The toupeed fellow above was channeling Elvis. A turtle jumped, or at least crawled, through a hoop, and a snake made an "S" out of himself.

It was as wacky as always at today's annual Parade of Pets at the American Visionary Arts Museum. 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Animal welfare groups are lining up, maybe even tripping over themselves, in hopes of getting their paws on a major hunk of Leona Helmsley’s $8 billion fortune after a New York Times report that ”The Queen of Mean” left instructions that her estate be spent on the care and welfare of dogs.

The real estate baroness died in August, and although the instructions weren’t part of her official will they are considered “expressions of intent.” As such, according to the Times, the trustees of her estate can take them into account in deciding how to dole out the fortune.

Both People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) have expressed interest –- well, much more than interest, this is downright droolworthy –- in putting the money to good use, according to an Associated Press report.

Both organizations, and a multitude of other local animal welfare organizations, will be be suggesting programs and applying for funds if Helmsley's billions really end up funding dog welfare.

Helmsley's will named her own dog, Trouble, as a beneficiary. Her two grandchildren, meanwhile, got nothing. In April, though, a Manhattan judge reduced the trust fund for the 9-year-old Maltese from the specified $12 million Helmsley specified to $2 million. The judge ruled the grandkids could split $6 million.

That means plenty is still left over.

"You could solve the pet overpopulation problem," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society. "You could attack dogfighting. You could attack rabies in China and India, where there are tens of thousands of cases a year. You could take care of dogs left behind in disasters."

Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder and president of PETA, said Helmsley's money could help save many of the 3 million dogs that are put to death each year, and reduce that number through spay and neuter programs.

"Many people cannot afford the surgery for their dogs," she said. "In these hard times, with house foreclosures, and people trying to pay for food and fuel, the last thing they're going to think about is the care and sterilization of dogs." She said Helmsley's brother, Alvin Rosenthal, who is one of the five trustees of the estate, has been a PETA donor in the past.

Pacelle noted that laws covering foundations generally require that a charity spend 5 percent of its assets per year. On an $8 billion estate, that would be $400 million — three times the Humane Society's annual budget.

"We do intend to reach out to the trustees and make the affirmative case that there is a tremendous amount of philanthropy to be done to help dogs in our society," he said.

Howard Rubenstein, spokesman for the trustees, said there would be no comment.

(AP photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

You can help a cat celebrate Independence Day this week -- even give a cat its independence -- at both the Maryland SPCA and BARCS.

The two shelters have teamed up to hold "Cat Independence Days" on Saturday, July 5 and Sunday, July 6 -- two days when cats can be adopted for the unusually low, and highly patriotic price of $17.76. The offer applies to cats four months of age and older.

“Animal shelters have many more cats in the summer,” explained Aileen Gabbey, Maryland SPCA’s executive director. “We want cats to gain their independence -- a loving new home -- this weekend.”

“Animals are given up for many reasons, including people moving who are unable to take their pet with them because of landlord restrictions,” said Jennifer Mead-Brause, director of BARCS (Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter). “This is happening more with the number of home foreclosures on the rise.”

As a result, more adult cats are showing up -- and adopting an adult cat can have advantages.

“Adult cats have lots of love to give, and they have outgrown some behaviors that can be challenging with kittens,” says Allison Nozemack, the SPCA’s Behavior Manager. “Most adult cats are already litterbox trained, and they are much calmer.”

Cats adopted from both The Maryland SPCA and BARCS include spay/neuter surgery and are up-to-date on vaccinations. BARCS is located at 301 Stockholm Street. Hours for adoptions this Saturday and Sunday are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Maryland SPCA is located at 3300 Falls Road. Hours for adoptions this weekend are noon to 3:30 p.m.

(AP Photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Amy Murphy, an occupational therapist, pit bull lover and volunteer for a rescue organization in North Carolina, has put together a video that pays tribute to her rescued pit bull -- a former "bait dog" named Gunny.

It's also a tribute to all the others who helped Gunny on the road to recovery.

We wrote about Amy back in the Spring, and how she'd become a teller of dog tales on Craigslist, putting together accounts of pets in need of adoption for North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue.

Not long after that, in May, she met Gunny:

"I met One Of Those Dogs today. I’d tell you his name, but he doesn’t have one. I can, however, tell you that he has one of the most amazing spirits I have ever had the good fortune to encounter. I can also tell you that his capacity for love and forgiveness warms my heart….and shatters it into a million pieces."

"This guy came to my attention yesterday, when a good friend made me aware of his existence. She is a volunteer for Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue, and gets lots of emails about dogs in need. This little fellow showed up on the “who we are going to put to sleep this week” list from a county pound in a neighboring state.

"She was appalled to see that even though he had an obviously severe injury that was both extremely painful and horribly infected, he would have to wait at least 5 days to be euthanized. They were certain that no one would adopt him, they knew they could not let any “owner“ from his past regain custody. Yet due to their laws, they had to let him suffer---without any pain relief or basic medical treatment---for days on end. Unfortunately, this is not rare, this is how county pounds function. My friend was hoping that the all-breed rescue where I volunteer might be able to help..."

"The plan we came up with was: get him out of that pound, and even if he is too ill to treat, at least we can pay to have him put to sleep in a gentle and humane way. There was no way finances would allow any pricey treatments, like an amputation of the injured leg or treatment for a positive heartworm diagnosis."

Amy ended up volunteering to be the dog's temporary foster parent, and what followed is documented in near daily dispatches from Amy on the North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue website.

Don't worry, it has a happy ending -- not the first Amy Murphy has been involved in, and, we suspect, probably not the last.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 5:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Today we introduce a guest blogger, a fellow Sun employee who, for reasons you will see below, ended up with a fairly steady lunchtime date -- a rendezvous with Lily Lulu, a puppy that resides at the florist shop down the block.

It struck me as pretty interesting how -- in an age where companies are actually renting pets,  providing bonded, web-cammed-equipped day care for pets, cloning pets and otherwise treating them as a commodity -- one human could just simply walk up to another, a stranger, and end up with an informal daily date walking their dog. No written contracts. No liability concerns. No fee. No drama.

Her story is a simple reminder that dogs -- with the unconditional, non-judgmental, loving spirit they exude -- allow us to cross silly human boundaries; that, though they may have one owner, they're here for all of us to share; and that we don't need a corporation to provide us with that.

Here's Deborah Dramby, and her story:

So I have a beta fish at my desk, Mr. Limpet, who brightens up my long days at the office as much as he possibly can, but I’ve found that nothing lifts my spirits and gives me energy more than a walk over to Lord Baltimore Florist, home of my lunchtime pup-pal Lily Lulu.

I didn’t meet Lily in the flower shop though - I met her right outside of The Sun. The precocious little thing was bouncing around in the lawn near our lunch tables quite regularly actually.

One afternoon, we saw the little pup headed south on Calvert St with a different owner than usual and it dawned on us that we didn’t know this dog’s name, who she belonged to, or where she called home so a coworker and I did a little investigating.

As luck would have it, the first lead we got brought us to the florist. There was no guarantee that this dog would be inside, but the shop had been rumored to house an animal or two so at least it would be a good start.

As soon as we entered the shop, much to our surprise, the sweet puppy came running from the back of the shop to greet us and within minutes we learned all about her. She was a five-month old Border-Collie/Boxer mix from Fayette County Animal Shelter and Rescue who came to the flower shop via part-time deliveryman and former police officer Steve Mullins.

Jacqueline Dezes, owner of the flower shop on Calvert Street and major animal lover welcomed the puppy into her shop and family. An advocate of bringing pets to work, each day Jackie has at least two of her pets in the downtown shop keeping her and staff company and brightening the days of visitors, customers, and contrary to the stereotypes: mail carriers.

So these days, whenever I can take a lunch break away from my desk I head over to take the little Lily or Sophie Marie, an older Beagle/Jack Russell mix, for a walk. Afterwards, we usually swap stories about our pet’s mischief and I give a little attention to the animals that don’t come on the walk: the cats. Hercules and Leo are remarkably friendly, and tolerant, twin tabby kittens. Much like Sophie Marie, they deal well with Lily and her puppy antics and can be seen cuddled up in some blankets beneath a table full of flowers ready for delivery.

Perhaps the best part of visiting the shop is watching how all the animals interact. If my attention is being split between Jackie, one of the cats and Lily Lulu, she will do whatever it takes to get back in the spotlight.

Jackie, of course, is a wonderful spirit, offering a welcome smile and never failing to mention how much she loves our lunchtime visits. She keeps photo albums full of pictures of the pets and those that have passed and loves telling me all about them. Once in a while she even sends me back to the office with an arrangement of flowers signed from Lily.

Some of my co-workers think I’m a little nuts about dogs, and I may be, but I bet plenty would agree that the love and exuberance of a puppy can be a welcome break in the middle of a work day.

Too bad we all can’t bring out pets to work.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Critics snarled at the concept of dogs for hire at a City Council hearing in Boston yesterday, putting a damper on plans by a company called FlexPetz to open a branch of its rent-a-pooch business in Beantown.

“I speak for the thousands of pet owners, professionals and true lovers of animals,” said Ray McSoley, an animal behavior expert. “They sit with me, in chorus, urging you to pass the act prohibiting the rental of pets.”

Under the ordinance, proposed after FlexPetz announced plans to open a branch in Boston, any individual caught renting a dog would be fined $300, and the pooch would be impounded. The City Council is schedule to vote on the proposed ban on July 9.

City councilors heard arguments ranging from the legal issue of who is liable if a rented dog bites someone, to the potentially destabilizing effect of moving pets from place to place.

“I think the one unified position that I heard coming from the testimony was that this is no way to treat animal life. They are living beings, not commodities,” said city councilor Chuck Turner.

No one at the hearing opposed the ban, and no one representing FlexPetz attended, according to an article in today's Boston Herald.

Company founder Marlena Cervantes Cervantes said FlexPetz -- a San Diego firm that has opened rent-a-pet offfices in New York, Los Angeles and London -- was undecided on whether it would challenge a pet-renting prohibition in Boston.

The company has also drawn criticism in London.

“We are a small company, and we just don’t have the budget to fly out because the government is interfering in our business,” Cervantes said.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The winner of a win-a-clone-of-your-dog essay contest has been announced -- a German shepherd named Trakr, who along with his master, a retired Canadian police officer, were among the first search and rescue teams to arrive at the remains of the World Trade Center.

BioArts International -- the U.S. company that sponsored the "Best Friends Again" contest -- announced the winner Monday. BioArts International claims to have the sole worldwide license for the cloning of dogs, cats and endangered species.

A Korean company that has cloned several dogs, RNL Bio, disputes that claim, and says it is the sole authorized agent for dog cloning. RNL Bio is expecting the birth of what it describes as the first commercially cloned dogs later this month -- three fetuses now in surrogate mothers that were created with tissue from a dog named Booger, a pit bull who helped his master cope with her disabilities. RNL Bio has threatened legal action against BioArts for infringing on its patents and licenses.

BioArts says that within 30 days it will transport a sample of Trakr's DNA to the South Korean lab of its partner, Sooam Biotech Research Foundation.

Trakr and his master, James Symington, were among the first search-and-rescue teams to arrive at Ground Zero, where they helped locate the last human survivor of 9/11, according to BioArts.

"Once in a lifetime, a dog comes along that not only captures the hearts of all he touches but also plays a private role in history," Symington wrote in his winning essay.

Now 15, Trakr has a degenerative neurological disorder that impairs the use of his back legs. The disorder may be linked to exposure to toxic smoke at Ground Zero, experts say.

"We received many touching submissions to our contest, describing some truly amazing dogs," said Lou Hawthorne, CEO of BioArts. "Trakr's story blew us away. His many remarkable capabilities were proven beyond all doubt on our nation's darkest hour - and we view the work of cloning him as a great honor."

BioArts is holding a global auction for five more dog cloning slots next week, with bids starting at $100,000. The essay contest was held in conjunction with that promotion.

The company said Trakr's clone could be born this year. Symington now lives in the Los Angeles area.

"If the clone has Trakr's abilities, then of course we'll put him into service as a detection dog," Symington told the New York Daily News, "and I guess I'll come out of retirement as well."

Posted by John Woestendiek at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Humane societies and rescue organizations in Florida, Georgia, Maryland and elsewhere are helping to find new homes for the 700 dogs seized last week in what the Humane Society of the United States calls one of the largest puppy mill rescues ever conducted.

Investigators removed the dogs Wednesday from Pinebluff Kennels in Lyles, Tenn. Many of the dogs suffered eye injuries, broken bones and skin conditions. Several were found dead.

The dogs were being sold on the Web site pinebluffpups.com for as much as $400. Most of the dogs offered on the site were small breeds, such as Chihuahuas, Terriers and Miniature Pinschers.

After months of investigation, county officials and HSUS investigators raided the operation in Hickman County, then dispatched the dogs to shelters in states from Florida to Maryland.

According to the Nashville Tennessean, the Hickman County Humane Society is seeking volunteers to help with sheltering and caring for the animals. They especially need veterinarians and veterinarian technicians, Haisley said. PetSmart Charities has donated enough food for the animals, but there is a need for blankets and towels, he added.

Assistant District Attorney Terry Wood said the owner of Pinebluff Kennels, where the animals were seized, has surrendered the dogs. She has not been charged yet. It could take weeks for investigators to go through evidence and decide what charges the kennel owner could face, Wood said.

More than 150 of the dogs have found refuge in Atlanta, where the Atlanta Humane Society had a sale this weekend to clear space so it could take in the dogs, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Another 130 were sent to the Humane Society of Broward County Florida, according to the Miami Herald.

About 100 have arrived in Maryland and Washington, D.C., Fox News in Washington reported.

The puppies, originally destined to be sold online, mall pet stores and pet boutiques, are now in the process of being adopted through the various rescue organizations. For more information about helping in the effort, contact the Hickman Humane Society.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

It's a holiday for us humans, but the Fourth of July is also a day that can turn an otherwise normal dog into a panting, pacing, quivering bundle of fur.

When the bombs start bursting in air later this week, many a dog will get the jitters -- a result of the sudden noises, bright lights, and even the scent of gunpowder, which some experts say may add to their unrest.

It's also a day that keeps animal shelters busy, with an influx of dogs that flee their homes when the celebrating starts.

"It's the worst day of the year," says Jim Monsma of the Washington Animal Rescue League. "Dogs that never could jump that fence sail over it when the fireworks start."

Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) has issued an advisory reminding everyone to keep a close eye on their animals on the 4th. It passes on the following tips:

-- Keep you pets indoors in a sheltered area at peak fireworks times, and make sure you've removed any items that might be harmful if chewed.

-- Having a television or radio playing at low volume can help calm an animal.

-- Check with your vet in advance if you know your animal gets distressed on the 4th.

-- Don't leave your pet outside unattended, even if your yard is fenced.

-- Make sure your pet is wearing identification tags

-- Leave your dog home if you're going to a fireworks display.

-- Do not leave your pet in the car, even for a few minutes.

As this Associated Press story points out, it's best to have taken the right steps ahead of time, so you're as prepared as you can be when the fireworks begin.

For more long term methods to help your pet get over the stress fireworks can cause, another recent Associated Press story offers some helpful tips.

Conditioning a dog to be relaxed during fireworks can take months, but it's possible.

At Behave Canine Solutions, a company that offers dog training classes in Oregon, dogs in the Puppy Preschool program spend a day training for fireworks. The process involves integrating sound, smells and visual displays into activities such as playing or eating.

"What a dog is or isn't exposed to, especially in the first 16 weeks, can affect their behaviors for the rest of their lives," said Denise Mullenix, one of Behave's trainers. The class moves puppies to different stations that play sounds of fireworks, expose them to small smoke balls and burning charcoal, and bring them near sparklers and bright flashes.

Owners can also train their dogs at home by playing recordings of fireworks at a low volume during an activity that the dog enjoys. By gradually increasing the sound, you can get to the point where the dog stops exhibiting signs of anxiety -- panting, drooling, pacing -- and is comfortable.

If owners don't have months for training, some veterinarians recommend sedatives -- an option most dog trainers says should be a last resort.

Some dogs can go to fireworks shows and be fine with it, but for others, and espeically first-timers, be sure to keep a close eye, and a good grip, on your pet.

If your dog starts freaking out, get the dog indoors as quickly as possible, or, if you're away, into the car with you.

At home, or in a car, you can turn on the air conditioning or the radio to minimize the sounds. Giving the dog a treat can get his mind on something else.

Also available are products that produce pheromone-mimicking scents that can relax and comfort a dog -- DAP, or Dog Appeasing Pheromone, for canines, and Feliway for cats.

Then there's the greatest sedative of all -- exercise. If you wear your dog out earlier in the day with a lengthy romp, chances are, safe at home, he might even sleep through the noise.

(Sun Photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The American Visionary Arts Museum will celebrate the Fourth of July with its annual pet parade and talent show Friday.

(If you missed last year's, you can click here for some video.)

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. for the talent show, which, in years past, has featured such memorable pets (and talents) as hermit crabs re-enacting Revolutionary War battles, singing dogs, dancing dogs and corn on the cob eating dogs.

The parade comes first -- a lap around AVAM's campus, which will be equipped with doggie pools for your pooch to cool off. Trophies will be awarded for Best Costume, Most Patriotic, Owner & Pet Look-alikes, Least Likely to Succeed as a Pet, and more – including the Most Visionary Pet Award.

Pets of all kinds are welcome, in costumes of all kinds, but must be leashed or carried, and owners are responsible for behavior and bodily functions -- both their pets and their own.

If you can't wait until July 4 to start partying with your dog, bring him or her along to the museum's outdoor movie night in Federal Hill Park, which Thursday will feature Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

The free movies are shown every Thursday night on a 30-foot screen on one of the museum's exterior walls, under the museum's Giant Golden Hand. they start at 9 p.m. The museum remains open until 9 p.m. on movie nights. In the event of rain, movies are shown in the Jim Rouse Visionary Center.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)